The government of Pakistan has prepared a roadmap to enhance trade with neighboring states, including Iran, China, India and Afghanistan, an Urdu-language daily said.

Dunya newspaper reported that the government has also decided to further strengthen trade ties with Turkey along with making trade with Central Asian states effective.

It added the government also desires to enhance trade ties with India despite political tensions.

According to the report, a five-year roadmap would be prepared to further boost trade between Pakistan and Turkey.

In order to strengthen trade with Afghanistan the government is planning to provide more facilities at Pakistan-Afghan Torkham border.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and his Pakistani counterpart, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, held a meeting in December 2018 in Tehran during which the two countries' top diplomats stressed the importance of making joint efforts to boost stability, security and constructive cooperation in the region, particularly in Afghanistan.

In a statement, Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the visit by Qureshi and his accompanying delegation to Tehran is part of the government's policy of outreach in the neighborhood.

It added that the Iranian and Pakistani foreign ministers held “detailed” talks on “strengthening the already close bilateral relations rooted in common history, culture and people-to-people ties” and reaffirmed the necessity to increase cooperation.